Chlamydia pneumoniae and future risk in patients with coronary heart disease

• Published in: International journal of cardiology Vol. 93; no. 1; pp. 25 - 30
• Main Authors: Haim, Moti, Tanne, David, Battler, Alexander, Boyko, Valentina, Reshef, Tamar, Goldbourt, Uri, Brunner, Daniel, Mekori, Yoseph A., Behar, Solomon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 2004; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology. Vascular system; Case-Control Studies; Chlamydia Infections - blood; Chlamydia Infections - complications; Chlamydia pneumoniae; Chlamydophila pneumoniae; Coronary Disease - blood; Coronary Disease - epidemiology; Coronary heart disease; Female; Heart; Humans; Immunoglobulin A - blood; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Infection; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Infection; Coronary heart disease; Chlamydia pneumoniae; Human; Chlamydiaceae; Risk factor; Chlamydiales; Bacteria; Cardiovascular disease; Risk
• ISSN: 0167-5273; 1874-1754
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-5273(03)00114-1

Aim: To evaluate the association between previous exposure to Chlamydia pneumoniae and future coronary risk in patients with coronary heart disease. Methods: A prospective, nested, case-control design was used. The patient sample was derived from a trial study of bezafibrate for the treatment of coronary heart disease. Anti- Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies (IgG and IgA) in the baseline sera of 136 patients who had coronary events during follow-up (mean 6.2 years) were compared with those in 136 age- and gender-matched patients from the same trial without subsequent coronary events. Results: Mean titers of IgG and IgA antibodies were similar in cases and controls. The relative odds of future coronary events in patients who were seropositive at baseline were 1.0 (95% CI, 0.54–1.84) for IgG and 0.74 (95% CI, 0.41–1.31) for IgA. The relative odds did not change after adjustment for multiple confounding variables. The risk of future coronary events did not increase with increasing anti- Chlamydia pneumoniae antibody titers. Conclusions: Prior exposure to Chlamydia pneumoniae in patients with chronic coronary heart disease is not associated with increased risk of recurrent coronary events.